Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-09

fought at 81. CAST, alter which the EnB-
lish retreated to their ships, leayingmany
prisoners in the hands of tho French.
During all the war for our independ-
ence st. Malo sent out SO privateers,
armed with 602 cannon. and manned by
1882 sailors. To-day believe that the
shipping of the place is something IKE
lSl, 600 tons annually. Last year over
1000 vessels entered aud cleared the
port, many OF them being engaged IN
fishing on the banks OF Newfoundland
and IN carrying the dairy produce oil
Brittany farms to London markets,
line of steamers sailing twice week
direct for Southampton.
Always fortified town, the place IS
still encircled by massive walls, part
of which was built as far back as the
fourteenth century. The sea iront,
however, was built in the sixteenth CEN
fury, while other portions were con
structed after plans prepared by the
celebrated military engineer Vauban,
who also planned the Holland battery,
which still commands the roadstead, as
well as other defensive works along the
coast of Brittany. There are SIX or
eight gates, each fanked by heavy
tower, and it was by a flight OF
steps at one of these, called the Porte
St. Thomas, that reached the fiagstone
walk along which l made the complete
circuit OF the city. 1t is this same st.
Thomas gate through which people go
TO the beach, and which seen from the
ramparts at the bathing hour presents
an animated appearance. At ST Malo
men and women undress IN little
houses mounted on wheels. and these
are drawn by horses down into the surf
if required. ! wandered at will along
the walls and thence had a splendid
view. To the east, at the extreme
right OF the long crescent-shaped
beach, was Fort de In Varde, facing
a number of dangerous rocks and
reefs over which waves were an
grlly dashing themselves. There
were also in the same direc-
ton several small islands, one of them
called the lie de Cezembre, on which
are the ruins of monastery that was
burned by the English. Near to the
town is Fort National, on a rock called
the IsIet, where were formerly four
gibbets where criminals were executed,
and then directly to the north of the
town are the Petit and the Grand Bay,
on one a fort, on the other picturesque
ruins, also the tomb of Chateaubriand,
prepared by himself on the site OF a
little chapel that once stood there, and
which was greatly venerated during
the fifteenth century. During a visit
to this spot the poets mother felt the
pangs of childbirth, aud n few hours
later he wss born in the family man
sion, now part of public hotel. His
grave faces the sea and is exceedingly
simple. consisting OF large stone slab
without any inscription, surmOuntcd by
a low granite cross and iuclose1 vita
iron ratings in Gothic style. Chateau
brand died in 1913, but twenty years
previously be obtained from the city a
concession of the ground, had it con5c-
Grated, and himself prepared his last
reSting-place. At low water tue spot
can be reached on foot by the beach,
but when the tide is in communication
is cut off between the island ami tue
city.
continued my stroll westward to the
corner tower and then walked south,
still along the ramparts. On the other
side OF the Rance are st. EnogAt and
Dinard, also bold, rugged coast-line,
with many projecting headlands, in
dentations worn by the sea, tall ellis,
and sandy beaches. Dinard IS a pretty
little watering place, built on the slopes
Of promontory. 1t owes its popu-
lsrity as . seaside resort to the beauty
of its beach and its fine climate, figs,
aloes, myrtles, camellias, and other tro-
pical fruits and flowers being cultivated
there in the open air. To the south,
facing the pier, is granite emf
nence on which is fort, and behind
that are the numerous gardens and vii
las that form the old town OF 81. Ser
van. All the southern walls give on
the pier and harbor, and thence | went
to the eastern front Of the rampant, In
the suburb OF Talard are several manu-
featuring establishments. also the ter
minus of tho Western railway. Beyond
the country rises gradually, forming a
succession of rolling hills covered
with clumps of trees and lit
tie villages, and eliminating in
the Mont St. Joseph. At the extreme
northeast corner of this landscape is
Cancale, town famous for its oysters,
cared for and fattened in artificial beds,
and which are esteemed in France the
best of all the bivalves that find their
way to the Paris markets. They are
noted for flavor, fine uniform shape,
depth of shell, and plumpness, but as a
rule Americans find them altogether
too coppery. Nearer to st. Malo Is
Parame, another watering place that
has come to be quite popular during
recent years.
Nearly everybody enters the town
through the eastern walls. There are
two gates on that side, the princi
pal one being called Porte st. Vincent,
and where there is a well-preseryed
portcullis. Between that gate and the
one of st. Thomas, by which mounted
to the ramparts, is the old chateau. 1t
| StNuQS Al lllG ucatu VI TIC otiAplAs VI
causeway, that was formerly the only
means Of reaching st. Malo from the
mainland. The castle, now used rs Il
barracks, was built by Anne OF Brittany,
whose father, Francis H., was the last
Duke of the province. In her time sho
married two French kings. One Was
Charles VIII, the other Louis XII,
and she always showed herself very
Jealous Of her royal rights and prerOgl-
tives. The castle is a square structure,
thanked by four main towers. Besides
the curtain wall which forms the side
facing the causeway there is a double
wall called the galere. In the centre
is an enormous horseshoe-shaped tower.
much higher than the others and
known as the grand donjon, to dis
tinguish it from smaller one In one
of the four towers already mentioned.
This is the oldest part of the
fortress, aud was already 10 ex-
istence when the Duchesse Anne
commenced to build the chateau. The
Duke OF Lancaster captured and partly
destroyed it iu 1878, and it was little
better than q ruin when she commenced
its reconstruction more than one hun
| dred yelrs later. The people of st.